Bed slat safety lock bracket



May 16, 1961 P. N. NELSON BED sLAT SAFETY LOCK BRACKET Filed May 27, 1958 INVENTOR. /VQSOJZ $3437 5'/ United States Patent O Ewing, Rock Island, Ill., doing business as Blackhawk Company Filed May 27, 1958, Ser. No. 738,231

1 Claim. (Cl. 5-238) My invention relates to bed slat safety lock brackets and similar devices.

My invention relates more particularly to bed slat safety lock brackets of the type which may -be applied to bed frames and bed slats now in use to easily and quickly connect the bed slats between the side frames and hold them in immovable or locked position for normal or reasonable use.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a bed slat lock bracket which is universal in application, which is easily and quickly applied to any average bed frame and the ends of the slats in a short time to rigidly lock the slats in selected position for an indefinite period of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket of the type described that is easily and quickly attached to the bed rails or side frames and also easily and quickly connected to the ends of bed slats, so that no special training or skill is required and the slats may be secured in place by the ordinary home owner or housewife.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the invention and the features and advantages thereof, reference is had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, upon which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of one of the side bed rails or frames and a portion of the bed slat and the bracket which forms the subject matter of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof taken generally on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top front perspective view of the slat receiving bracket; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the invention showing the bracket slightly modied as employed with the usual wooden bed rails or frames.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate and describe the same, in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown lthe usual metal or angle iron bed rail that connects between the head and the foot of the bed on the two sides of the same and which usually carries the bed slats that are placed thereon to support the springs, mattress, etc.

Both in use and during the making of beds or changing of bed linens where the exact equilibrium of the bed is disturbed, the bed slats are frequently moved about slightly and eventually fall olf the edge of the bed rails 10, or else when they are disposed at the edge of the lower leg of the bed rail, they have a tendency to twist or bend the bed rail, depending upon the amount of weight placed upon the same, so that eventually the bed rails are twisted and the slats fall.

My invention contemplates the provision of a safety bracket 12 which may have the flat base portion 14 terminating in a downwardly depending ledge 16 that connects with an angle shaped frame portion 18 and 20 which is adapted to engage about the bed rail 10 and may be supported thereon by means of a hook portion 22 that can be fastened over the top of the bed rail. The bracket may also have parallel turned-up side walls 24 and 26 and a bolt opening 28 through the base portion 14.

When the safety bracket is employed to support the end of a bed slat 8 on one of the bed rails 10, the bracket '12 is placed in the position shown and a bolt member 30 provided with a wing nut 32 is placed through a suitable opening that has been made in the slat 8 and the base 14 so that the bracket and end of the bed slat can be rigidly fastened together with the portion 18 of the bracket underlying the rail 10 and the slat 8 positioned on top of the horizontal leg of the rail 10.

When it is not convenient to use the bolt and wing nut for fastening the bracket to the rail, suitable fasteners such as nails or screws may be driven through the openings 28a in the side walls 24 and 26 of the bracket 12.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of the invention for use with a wooden bed or bed frame of the type which includes the vertically disposed board 40 as one of the side frames of the bed provided with a wooden strip 42 that is nailed or otherwise secured adjacent the lower edge of the same to provide the bed rail for supporting the bed slat 8.

The support bracket 12a of this construction may be generally similar in all respects with the support bracket 12, except that the vertical back wall 20a is not provided with a hook portion 22 as shown in Fig. 3, but rather with a plurality of openings so that screw members 8 may be extended through the same to fasten the bracket rigidly against the board 40, resting'on top of the strip 42. The bed slat is again connected to the bracket by means of the bolt 30 or by screws or nails as previously described.

From the above and foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided a highly economical and satisfactory safety means for insuring that when bed slats are positioned on the frame of the bed they will not become loosened through any movement, bouncing or other activity either in use of the bed or in change bed linens, turning the mattress, etc. As can be seen, it is a matter of only a few minutes to connect as many safety brackets as desired, and the same can be done by any housewife, due to the simplicity of operation and construction.

I contemplate that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and I do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A bed slat safety lock comprising in combination, a right-angle shaped bed rail having vertical and horizontal legs, a bracket having a flat base and a pair of upright side edges throughout a portion of the length of the flat base and forming thereby a U-shaped bracket, a shaped frame portion forming a horizontal extension from said fiat base for receiving said horizontal leg of said bed rail, said shaped frame portion having a vertical termination in an upright wall to encompass said vertical leg of said bed rail, a bed slat extending through the U-shaped bracket and its length extending over said horizontal leg of said bed rail and having its end positioned adjacent said upright wall of said bed rail, a hook portion on said upright wall for attachment about the upper edge of the upright wall of said bed rail, said bracket having an opening in the Hat base thereof, a bolt member passing through said opening and matching opening of said bed slat so that the said bracket rigidly fastens together the bed slat and the horizontal leg of the bed rail.

References Cited in the Ie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gregory Sept. 27, Hopkins Nov. 8, Fernau Feb. 12, Nessel Apr. 7, Foster Dec. 8, Freese Sept. 14, Oblosser Sept. 10, Webb Dec. 8, Mosier Aug. 15, Kontorowtz July 25, Rooks Aug. 22, Stone Dec. 20, Brands May 22, 

